Poppies - Papaver orientale!

The Oriental Poppies are blooming in my garden! There is nothing that I don't like about these gorgeous plants. I know that their blooming time only lasts about two weeks, but when they do bloom, they are the highlight of my garden!

In spring they grow into a large mound of the most beautiful lacy leaves. Then the buds start to grow with the promise of great things to come. The flowers never fail to provide inspiration for me. I love the colourful blooms that defy description! Their crepe-like flowers are borne high above to leaves, to a height of 3 or 4 feet! The bright red-orange ones take centre stage to everything else.

I also have a white one that might just be my favourite. My DD bought it for me about 10 or 12 years ago for Mother's Day.

It has never failed to rapture and inspire me! After flowering the delightful seedpods begin to ripen. I think they are just as interesting s the flowers themselves. In the heat of summer the plants die back, but as soon as the cooler fall weather arrives with some much needed rain, the leaves begin to grow again. I used to have a lovely salmon coloured one too, but it has not come up this year. I think I will go out and buy a new one next spring. Oh! I can hardly wait!

Family: Papaveraceae. Genus: Papaver. Species: P. orientale.

Common name: Poppy, Oriental Poppy